Restaurant Review: In and Out (Yunnan) – Diverse cuisine with an authentic ethnic flair

This is part two of a seven part series. Part one featured Cantonese food, check the review and recommended dishes here.

In and Out has two branches in Sanlitun: Sanlitun Beixiaojie and Gongti. We visited the first location during the lively lunch rush. The wait staff dress in colorful Yunnan minority clothes, which kids will love, and the restaurant is full of artefacts and scented aromas from the region. Spanning three floors, it has a number of private rooms, which would make a good venue for a party. The staff are friendly and efficient, and the restaurant is nicely done out with very comfy seating. As soon as we were shown to our table, we were given water and a big bowl of delicious rice crackers. On Mondays, the restaurant has a unique promotion where customers can get 50 percent off the bill – provided they seal their mobile phones into a box that remains untouched for the duration of the meal.

Yunnan or Dian cuisine is an amalgam of the cuisines of the Han Chinese and other ethnic minorities in China. As the province with the largest number of ethnic minority groups, Yunnan cuisine is incredibly varied. In the north, the cold, pastoral lifestyle produces dried meats and dairy products, fused with Muslim cuisine. Eastern Yunnan produces the most recognizably “Chinese” dishes, with stewed chicken, noodles, and hot pot. Yunnan’s south is strongly influenced by Burmese, Lao, and Thai cooking methods. The south is also famous for producing good coffee and red pu’er – Yunnan’s best tea. Many dishes are quite spicy, and bugs and insects also feature.

Family facilities: The restrooms are on the second floor, with squat toilets only. There are no baby changing facilities. Highchairs are available. The kids won’t need plastic cutlery; diners are provided with chopsticks and wooden spoons. The restaurant is non-smoking throughout.